Thursday, 31 January 2013

Oswestry’s first Muslim centre at ex-church gets go-ahead

Controversial plans for Oswestry’s first Muslim centre have been
given the go-ahead. It will be sited in a 19th century former
Presbyterian church.

The bid to change the church in Oswald Road, into a Muslim prayer centre sparked more than 70 objections and led to the town being targeted in a leafleting campaign by the British National Party.

But more than 40 people wrote in support of the bid by Oswestry Muslim Society and permission was given by Shropshire Council planning officers under delegated powers.

Planning officers revealed today that some of the objectors’ views had not been placed on the council planning website where the public’s representations can normally be viewed as they were of a ‘sensitive and pot-entially provocative nature’.More here